Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu has stated that the Maldives has become a global example by introducing the generational tobacco ban, a policy prohibiting the use and trade of tobacco for everyone born on or after January 1, 2007.
Speaking at a 32-hour telethon organized by several Maldivian media outlets to mark the implementation of the ban, Minister Shafeeu said that the Maldives has set an example for the world. He added that this bold step is something all Maldivians, parents, students, and teachers should take pride in.
The Minister noted that the origins of the generational ban can be traced back to efforts to curb vaping in schools. He explained that the Ministry of Education’s first step was to consult principals and parents to understand their views. “We spoke with more than 200 principals and school parents across the Maldives, and every school requested that vaping be banned,” he said.
According to Ministry records, schools in the Malé area previously discovered 50–60 vape sticks daily. However, this number has now dropped drastically, with schools finding only one or two vape sticks per week. Minister Shafeeu said that this progress reflects the positive outcome of proactive measures and community cooperation.
“We believe this is a major step forward. It was a decision made by the government for the welfare of students and to build a healthy generation. The introduction of the generational tobacco ban followed naturally as part of that broader goal,” the Minister stated.
Dr. Shafeeu stressed that building a healthy generation requires collective effort from all segments of society. He highlighted that the Maldives spends MVR 1.8 billion annually on cigarette imports and emphasized that reducing tobacco use would not only improve public health but also ease the economic and social burdens linked to smoking.
The amendment to the Tobacco Control Act introducing the “Generational Ban”, which prohibits the purchase, sale, and use of tobacco products for individuals born on or after January 1, 2007, was ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on May 21. The law came into effect on November 1.
President Muizzu has been recognized for taking historic steps to safeguard public health, including the upcoming ban on the use, possession, production, sale, advertising, and free distribution of vaping products, which took effect on December 15, 2024.
Currently, 30.1 percent of the Maldivian population was born after January 1, 2007, and this figure is projected to rise to 45 percent by 2054. This means that by then, all Maldivians under the age of 47 will be prohibited from using tobacco, a milestone that cements the Maldives as the first country in the world to implement a nationwide generational tobacco ban.